Nostalgia
by Shizune-hime
Summary: Aerith & Zack travel to visit friends. But in the process, the couple learns lessons from the very reminders they give - that despite life's difficulties, embracing your dreams, keeping the faith & loving everyone helps things become lighter.  CH. 5 UP!
1. Prologue

**~Prologue~**

_"…Cetra?"_

In the middle of tending to some of the church's flowers as her boyfriend slept next to her, she stood up and looked around. There was a voice, she was certain, but it didn't come from anyone around the area. As a smile marked her soft features, she quietly listened.

_"…It's not over."_

A very direct reminder, Aerith thought, though considering her life experience, what was just said was false. "I've done all that I could," Aerith whispered with a smile, knowing what the voice meant. She looked at Zack. "And I'm happy where I am at this point."

_"Don't forget them."_

"I haven't." She shook her head. "I visit them every once in a while."

_"They need you."_

"Only when a situation is dire…"

And right there, at the very back of the church's interior, a soft flurry of green and white light manifested. Minerva appeared, and the faint image of her smiling as she held her weapon made Aerith smile too. The Cetra left her boyfriend to sleep for a longer period of time and she approached the Goddess, wondering what could possibly be the matter this time.

"They never say, but they need you," Minerva reminded softly. "And you are not done yet."

Aerith blinked. For the longest time that she had been in the Lifestream, she considered her worries correct. She always thought that casting Holy was the final task with her own Ancient life, but apparently, and according to Minerva, she wasn't quite finished yet. And the Cetra wasn't so sure what it was that she still had to do, but she felt as if it was a do-or-die situation… and hopefully it wasn't.

"What do you mean?…"

The Goddess chuckled. "I have a mission for you. Take your beloved with you, and travel - visit your friends. You'll see what happens in the end."

Aerith tilted her head slightly in curiosity. "… That's all you'd have me do?"

"Hush and trust me; the content of what I say is more important."

The Goddess chuckled as she leaned forward and gave her forehead a blessing kiss, just a few seconds before she disappeared.

"Cetra, for you and your lover, the afterlife is simply the beginning of a new journey - self-discovery."


	2. Assurance

~**Ch. 01: Assurance~**

… … Soft lashes fluttered, and emerald eyes slowly revealed their color under fair-complexioned eyelids.

The soft sunlight of the church bathed her in a subtle warmth, but the cooling air made her want to sleep some more. The sight of navy blue next to her made her smile; the feel of the cotton blanket underneath them asked for a nuzzle from her gentle face, and she did, and she took a deep breath as her eyes wanted to close again.

"…I don't get it."

She blinked her eyes open again. "Hm?…"

"Oh." He blinked, realizing she had already woken up. "I mean, the flowers bloom even with this much sunlight." His hands rose and set an ample range from each other, as if to measure. "Every single one of them. They bloom perfectly. It's… weird."

She laughed, quite sleepily. "It's _amazing…!" _she replied, watching his hands. "Normally, you would have to plant flowers like these out in a field, or a normal garden, or right by the windowsill. But here… they don't need that much space and yet they bloom like any other flower." She shrugged, smiling softly.

"The _church_ is amazing, if you ask me…" he answered, grinning. "And hey, it survived your spell! I can see why you like it here, too." He looked at her and smiled. "… And hello."

"…Hellooo." She said, her body curled up next to his as she had a sleepy smile, and a bit of a melody to her voice.. "Good morning… or is it afternoon already?"

"I think so. Who cares…" He snickered and leaned over to give her lips a soft kiss before turning to lie on his back again. "Had a good rest?"

"Mmhm. A _veeeeery_ good one."

"A very good_ oneee? _Did you dream of me?"

She laughed. "Gueeeess."

"I'm guessing you did." he snickered.

"Oh, pfft." She rolled her eyes and grinned. "I daydream about you ALL the time. I don't have to dream of you anymore, I think."

"But dreams work best when you're sleeping!"

"Oh, dear. Have you been reading romance novels again?"

"Gueeeess."

And together they laughed softly.

… Aerith Gainsborough and Zack Fair, lying next to each other, had their locked onto each other as the sunlight that streamed through the broken roof washed over them. They closed their eyes from time to time, quietly basking in the warmth of the church as they talked about life. The two had been spending time together for the past few weeks - though now in their ethereal forms - reminiscing about the past days they had together. And if anything, this was a way to make up for lost time. Aerith genuinely loved Zack's company, and having not been able to spend much time with him before helped her treasure each day now like it was her first _and_ last. Zack, on the other hand, was infinitely glad to be spending time with her that each day felt like the first day he laid eyes on her. Taking her hand and lacing his fingers with her, he ushered himself close to her.

"…Hey…" he started, "what do you say we explore the world?" Zack smiled warmly at her.

Aerith blinked, a smile settling on her face too. "…That's odd…" she said, her forehead slightly creasing, "…I dreamt of the Goddess. She told me to take you with me and to go visit some friends."

"Really?…" Zack's eyes widened slightly and he chuckled. "I should thank her for reading my mind then," he said. "But yeah. Why don't we explore the world, along with visiting your friends?"

"Again?… But we've done that already~" She nuzzled the back of his hand, giving his skin soft kisses. "Or have we _not_ yet explored everything?"

… He couldn't help but grin wide. _"Explored everything?"_

"I meant the _world_, silly!" the flower girl giggled, pinching his nose playfully with the other hand. Zack groaned, nasal-sounding. "I don't remember the last place we visited, though."

"Hm…" Zack rubbed his nose after Aerith let it go. "Wasn't it Junon?"

"…Oh! Right!" Aerith nodded. "I remember now. You brought me to that locker room where you said you saw Cloud try to do the whole SOLDIER routine again. And you tried to imitate him. Good thing we're ghosts! Or else the SOLDIERS over there then would have thought we were crazy."

Zack laughed. "Right. And I took you to the cannon, too. Nice view, huh?"

"Sister Ray, sitting there against orange skies…" She sighed. "Dramatic backdrop!"

Zack smiled at the mere sight of her quietly swooning. He knew her very well to know that she loved sunsets.

She began to ponder, "So. We've been to Junon… where do you want to go next, then?"

"You pick, princess."

As Aerith tried to think of a possible destination to explore for them both, Zack's eyes began to focus on her. He found himself quietly admiring her; he knew she was beautiful and kept that in mind very well, but he realized he never did take the time out to marvel at her beauty like she was a muse for an art class. A smile crossed his lips as he sighed quietly, feeling like a little schoolboy seeing the girl of his dreams for the first time…

"…Nibel- oh, no! Icicle Inn?"

Zack's cheeks turned rosy red, and the silence made Aerith blink.

"Zack?"

Another sigh. "…Yeah?…"

"Oi." Aerith poked him. "How about Icicle Inn?"

"What about Icicle Inn?"

Aerith paused, before a laugh escaped her mouth. A slight blush came over her cheeks. "How about we make a trip to Icicle Inn? We've never really had the chance to go there. And I want to show you something, too."

And Zack, realizing that he zoned out, blinked as he realized that he was staring at the love of his life like a weird nut. Aerith giggled, and he blushed.

"Oh… OH, RIGHT! Man, I'm so sorry. URGH." Zack rubbed his face gently and covered it with both hands as Aerith sat up, cursing himself quietly for staring at her. "I'm so sorry. That was impolite of me."

"You're alright. I've seen worse stares in my life." Aerith stood and crossed the floor, deciding to kneel and tend to the flowers before taking that trip with him. Zack stammered.

"W-worse stares?…Hey, what's that supposed to mean? Men around Midgar giving… _gave… _GAVE- you perverted looks, hmm?" The SOLDIER pouted, and folded his arms. "WELL. That's not right. NOT AT ALL. NO MAN is supposed to give a LADY perverted looks, thank you very much."

She tried to contain a smile. "I'm just glad I've decided to settle with enough buttons for this dress to not expose myself."

… The two became silent. Zack stared and blinked at her. That was something he _never_ expected to hear from her.

Aerith looked beyond her shoulder and gave him a smile. She shrugged and continued to speak, only this time, much quieter. "…Maybe you should be glad that I'm still around… and I saved myself too…"

… … Now, was that a compliment, or what?

Zack blinked, pondering on what she said. Rubbing his nape, he thought about it. Aerith saved herself for… what? Who? Deep inside he hoped it was him, but he didn't really want to intrude with it. He didn't want to ponder on it, but he couldn't help it. It kind of relieved him that she didn't give herself to Cloud, and he believed her - she wasn't like any other girl and he knew that by heart, but he felt a sense of… doubt. Zack tried his hardest to ignore it. But quite frankly, he was jealous that Cloud spent more time with her than he did.

"…A-Ah, really?… Yeah, I guess that's something to be glad about…" Zack replied. "I mean- of course! Well, I know I'M definitely glad." He nodded. "You're around, and we're together! And that's what matters."

… … Silence.

"Aaaaanyway. Hmm-hm-hm…"

Aerith scooted over to him, sensing the dismay in his voice. She was afraid she had just hurt him, and she didn't really mean to. "…I'm sorry. I didn't mean to startle you or suddenly be impolite like that," Aerith said with a slight chuckle. "But… I mean it. I didn't just give myself away." She tried to choose her words carefully and to say it calmly and quietly, hoping it would comfort Zack. "And, not to mention, I meant everything I said in the letters, you know… how I feel about you will never change." She smiled and nodded at him. "I don't think they will_ ever _change, anyway. So. You're stuck with me, buster!" She gently, and with soft hands, took his face into her hands and leaned up to give him a soothing kiss. "You're for me. And we shall travel together, and though it sounds mushy right now, I think it's right to say it's just going to be you and me and that's all there is to it.

And Zack couldn't help but smile as their lips folded together, with a slight rhythm that relaxed him. A soft sigh left him as Aerith parted from him and he nodded. "Couldn't ask for more, you know. I like this travelling thing we're going to do - keeps us on our toes, don't you think?" He smirked.

Aerith laughed softly. "Kind of brings us closer too!"

"…So Icicle Inn, huh… What're you going to show me this time?"

"Ah." The flower girl decided to stand as she took his hand. "Just something I never got to show you before. I mean, I've told you about it, but… I suppose seeing it would help you understand."

"Oh?" Zack tilted his head and blinked. "…Is this something about food? Because frankly I'm quite hungry right now. Odd for a ghost like me, huh?"

Aerith came over to him and laughed as she took him in her arms. "We'll see. But for now, close your eyes."

And Zack did as he was told. In a gentle flurry of green and white light, the two disappeared.


	3. Visuals

~**Ch. 02: Visuals~**

Icicle Inn was a favorite tourist destination, especially for couples, because it gave them reason to snuggle together and enjoy the small but fine things in life - like sharing a big mug of hot cocoa together by the fire. For Zack, it made him smile as he imagined himself and Aerith snuggling together by a fire. The downside of it was, they were dead. For Aerith, it was an opportunity for her to show him more about herself, rather than present stories to him or let out her history in words.

Quietly, she led him through the happy but snow-covered roads, and into one of the abandoned cottages nearby. Effortlessly, of course, they passed through the door. Heading upstairs, Zack followed. His blue eyes caught sight of Aerith standing before sets of machinery, panels and monitors. As she reached down and around to plug in the machines, he looked around. He wanted to question Aerith about it, but decided to just stand aside and patiently wait.

After a few minutes of groping around the floors, she stood when she was done. "Here, have a seat." Aerith moved the seat before the panels over to Zack, and proceeded to punch in a few buttons. "And watch."

"A movie?" Zack said, giving a half-smile as he folded his arms.

"…Quite." Aerith, who only gave his cheek a kiss, stood right behind him and left him to watch the video on the monitor.

… … As the video started to play, Zack's eyes focused on the sight - a man in a lab coat stood in the same room he and Aerith were in now, and with him was a woman with long flowing locks and carrying an infant. The couple seemed happy; the conversation was quiet, but serious for the professor.

"…Cetra…" Zack quietly whispered to himself, echoing the professor's speech. His eyes diverted to the infant wrapped in a blanket. _Aerith?…_

The cadet smiled at the sight of Aerith's father and mother. The way they showed their love for each other shone and made him envy them for just a bit. "…Your parents loved you very much," he told Aerith, who stood right behind him. "Even if you don't remember much about them. Don't doubt their love for you."

Behind him, the Cetra managed a calm smile. "My mother tries to remind me everyday." She chuckled. "In the most unusual ways." Approaching the panel again, she played another video after the first ended. Zack gently embraced her waist and pulled her to his lap, wanting her to be close to him instead and not standing there behind him.

The two smiled and even chuckled as they watched Aerith's father, Professor Gast, become sweet to her mother, Ifalna.

"You remind me of my dad, sometimes."

_"Eh?"_ Zack laughed. He nuzzled her ear, and watched the video with her. "…I don't know whether to think of that as a bad thing, or a good thing." 

Aerith giggled. "I mean, the way he shows my mom he loves her." She shook her head. "You're both sweet. And flirty."

Zack pouted, all puppy-like. "Hey, I MAY have a tendency to flirt I guess, whether I know it or not, but you KNOW I'll always come back to you." He grinned. "Don't forget that."

"I think you'll have to remind me that eeeeveryday." Aerith smirked.

He snickered. "Oh, that's NOT a problem!"

After a while, the video ended, and Aerith, with a sigh, pressed another button. A third video played.

Smiles faded as soon enough, the sight of Hojo came into view. Zack's eyes widened at the sight: the mad professor burst into the house with SOLDIERs, demanding for Ifalna and the infant Aerith. Zack found himself clutching at Aerith's dress as a scowl crossed his face, cursing in his mind.

"…Hojo."

Aerith frowned, knowing what Zack had been through regarding the mad scientist. She took Zack's hands from her waist and laced her fingers with his, trying to calm him down. The video showed Aerith and Ifalna being demanded to be handed to Hojo, and in the process, Gast was… well…

"…I hate that bastard." Zack scowled. "…I'm so sorry that this happened. If I had only known, I-"

"It's alright." The flower girl faced him as she turned slightly, and gave his cheek a soft kiss. She smiled, and it relaxed Zack again. "It happened already."

"…So.. Shin-Ra kept you for a while, then, huh?…"

Aerith shrugged. "I don't remember much, anymore, but I remember seeing my mother's face for the last time before I was raised up by my adoptive mom, Elmyra…" She fidgeted with her fingers. "…I wish I knew mom more. My dad too."

"Hey…" Zack's eyes softened. He cupped her other cheek and turned her face gently to him, giving her lips a gentle kiss. "At least she keeps in touch with you." He smiled. "She's not gone forever. She's always going to be with you."

"It's not the same, and you know it." She shook her head. "…I'm sorry. I just… miss her. Time sucks." She pouted.

"Mm, tell me about it…" He leaned his forehead against her cheek, eyes closing. Zack's mind was filled with memories of the day he died, and he started feeling bad for not having been there for Aerith.

"…I'm so sorry."

Aerith blinked. "…For what?"

"I just wish I didn't have to go so soon…" He managed a chuckle, taking her hands gently. Zack looked at their fingers laced together. "I mean, when I watched from up there… when you summoned Holy… I just…" He frowned. "I felt really bad. I could have been there to help you… protect you." Zack groaned. "…GAH. I'm getting all mushy. NOT good."

Aerith chuckled. She nuzzled his cheek. "Mushy _is_ good."

Zack grinned as he turned his head to kiss her again. "I didn't know you liked corny too."

"Oh, pfft." She laughed, breaking away from his lips. "Of course I do! Everyone needs a little corny in their lives, silly! Makes life more interesting."

He gave her a warm smile. But one thing crossed his mind. "…Hey… Do you think it was my time already then?"

"Mm…" Immediately Aerith shook her head. "Not at all. But, some things happen for a reason… and I personally think you did what you had to do, and I did what I had to do." She smiled sadly. "…You took your dreams to heart. You wanted to be a hero. And you did it perfectly. I, on the other hand, knew that summoning Holy was a calling… I had to force myself to be prepared for it. But the bad thing about what happened to us both was that our lives were at stake… and somehow we _knew_ they would be at stake, but the way the situations arrived into our lives was pretty unexpected. It's like we _knew_ it was time, and it _wasn't_ time yet."

Zack realized that she was right. The day he faced Shin-Ra's SOLDIERs in the Wastelands, he knew that he'd either live trying - even if at least he was short of five minutes obliterating all of them - or die fighting… which happened to be the case. As for Aerith, he remembered watching her from the Lifestream as she knelt there, and began to pray for Holy… and she seemed to be calm, and already saw what would happen to her. Aerith had the same case of "live trying, or die fighting." Zack sighed.

"It's ALL Hojo's fault. Honestly! If he didn't do the darn Jenova Project then MAYBE the world would have been okay."

"Mm…" Aerith stared off, reminiscing on the time when she was in the labs and Cloud and the rest saved her, along with Red XIII. "…I think the whole world hated him."

… Zack managed to laugh. "News fly fast. What can we do?" He smirked. "Serves him right."

"I wonder if anyone ever dealt with him… killed him. You know, really rendered him dead. He seems to be… well…"

"Immortal?"

"Well… last I heard he scattered his neurodata into the worldwide system… or something like that. And I heard that he had to find a host body to accumulate all the fragments of himself and try to take over the world again." Aerith blinked as the video ended and she shut off the machinery. "… Oh! Vincent…"

Zack tilted his head. "Vincent?"

"…You've never met him?" Aerith smiled. "I'll introduce you to him."


	4. Remembrance

~**Ch. 03: Remembrance~**

… Aerith and Zack appeared in Kalm, in an alleyway. Zack stumbled as soon as they arrived, and Aerith tried to hold him up. She chuckled.

"W-Whoa… " Zack held his head and blinked. "… How DO you do that? I'm dizzy. AGH… "

Aerith laughed. "It takes some getting used to. My golly, you've been stuck in the Lifestream for so long that you didn't know what you could do? Tsk, tsk. Puppy needs some lessons to learn."

Zack pouted as she began walking. He shook his head as his shoulders slumped. "Don't call me that."

… Aerith hummed as she looked for Vincent's home. Apparently he had been living here for the past few months now, after the ordeal with Omega. She smiled when she found his home, Zack tagging along behind her. She led Zack with her to the alley right behind his home, and settled with standing by a nearby window. Beckoning Zack quietly, she pointed at the window, showing Vincent to Zack. "That's him," she said. "That's Vincent Valentine."

Zack blinked. The red cape and the stark black hair were striking. He smiled as he recognized that this was one of Cloud's friends, but realized plainly that this was actually someone he had _seen_ before!

"… HOLY-… GAEA. I KNOW HIM!"

"Shh!" She laughed softly, trying to get him quiet as she covered his mouth. "You know, some people have third eyes and they can sense AND hear ghosts," she whispered. "Vincent's one of them."

Inside, Vincent blinked.

And outside, Aerith blinked, realizing what Zack had just said. "Wait, what?"

Zack took Aerith's hand off his mouth, and held it in between his two. "I know him!" Zack beamed. "I've seen him before!-… I THINK."

"… You think? How do you think you know someone?… " The flower girl realized she was only going to confuse herself. "Anyway. What do you mean?"

"See, when I was in the Nibelheim Shinra Mansion, I was able to get to the basement. You know… where the library was at." Zack nodded. "There was a room there with coffins. Around… 3? 5, I think? I don't remember, but there was one particular coffin I think I checked, and it THUMPED. INSIIIIDE."

Aerith began to smile. She looked at Vincent through the window again. "He's a sleeper, alright…" she chuckled. "I'll have to introduce you to him, and you can talk."

Zack shuddered. "… Hojo… "

"Oh, come on. The story's not THAT bad." Aerith smirked. "And besides. I don't think anyone could ever stand him, in fact I think anyone would want to kill him as soon as they'd see his face… " She paused. "Then again… we don't want blood now, do we?… "

Zack snickered. "Heh-heh… WELL. I'd be glad to."

Aerith punched his shoulder. "No more wars."

"OW." Zack pouted. "HE HURT YOU, YOU KNOW. He deserves an ass-whooping."

_"What _are you doing?"

Aerith felt her heart jump in surprise from a voice coming from the rooftop, and when she and Zack looked up, Vincent was there, perched quietly and watching them. "VINNIE!" Aerith waved happily, giggling. "Hi. We just thought we'd drop by."

"… Hm." Vincent nodded. "I thought it was Yuffie."

Zack looked at Aerith. "Yuffie?"

Aerith smiled. "That's another person I'll introduce you to." She nodded. "But that's another story."

"Whoa. You've got lots of friends! I see you really enjoyed your time when you were alive." Zack grinned.

"Not all the time, but I tried… " Aerith tried her hardest not to recall the times when she needed Zack the most, and decided to treasure their moments now. "Anyway!" She looked up at Vincent. "… Can we come in? If you prefer to stargaze up there, though, we can join you! By the way, this is Zack. I know you've seen him when Midgar was saved from the Remnants, when we were all at the church by the healing water… but I never really was able to introduce him to you."

Zack gave a wave. "Hi there!" he said, with a grin. "Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class."

"… You treasure your legacy, I see."

"Oh, of course!" Zack snickered. "I do. Very much. That's what you get for being in SOLDIER!" He nodded promptly.

Vincent eyes the spikey-haired ghost. He figured Zack was Aerith's boyfriend, or ex-boyfriend, but he didn't really know. Instead he dismissed the pondering and smiled softly. He leaned down and offered his human hand, but pulled back when he realized something.

Aerith was about to take it, but- … "Hm?"

"… I realized… You can fly."

"Oh, more than that!"

Vincent blinked. In an instant, Aerith, holding Zack's hand, poofed up to the rooftop. The flower girl grinned as she took a seat next to Vincent with Zack, and gazed up - the sky was filled with stars. Aerith had never seen such a sight. Both she and Zack wowed at the imagery.

"You stay up here often, don't you?" Zack leaned back to look at Vincent, giving a gentle smile. "I could understand why."

Of course, Vincent never said his reasons. Especially a certain memory.

Aerith pulled her knees up and scooted backward just a little, slightly up the reclining roof. "Stars are friends," she replied. "They remind me of candy sometimes, though."

Vincent chuckled. "Candy?"

"YUSS." Aerith nodded, laughing. "Candy dots, they are. … So, Vinnie… I was just in Icicle Inn earlier with Zack… I showed him the video of my dad and mom… "

Vincent looked at Zack. On the SOLDIER's face was a hint of sadness, and a bit of frustration. Vincent nodded. "So you know now," he told him, "what she had to go through when she was younger."

"I'm just upset about Hojo. Everything is his fault." He scowled. "He hurt Aerith, he hurt Cloud's friends, he made a monster out of Sephiroth and Jenova-"

"-And did the same thing again." Vincent looked at the stars. "… He won't stop."

Zack blinked. "Did something happen?"

Aerith preferred to stay quiet, letting the two talk, or at least letting Vincent explain first-hand.

"… I was a Turk, before," Vincent began," and I was assigned to watch over a scientist. Doctor Lucrecia Crescent."

Zack didn't know who she was, but the next line Aerith said clarified everything.

"Sephiroth's mother," she said.

Zack's eyes widened.

"… It was spring, then. She and my father, Grimoire… they were colleagues. Lucrecia had a thesis about Omega and Chaos, stored them in diskettes… they're with Reeve now, for safekeeping and reference." Vincent lay down against the cold roof, eyes closing as he continued to explain. "… My father died due to an accident. Let's just say, fast-forward to years later, Hojo eventually found a host body - one of the Tsviets, an elite group from Deepground… the host body was Weiss the Immaculate."

"Tsviets?… "

Vincent was surprised. Considering Zack was a phantom now too, he reckoned he'd seen what happened from up there in his point of view. "… You don't know anything?… "

Aerith looked at Zack. "… Shin-Ra," she hinted, but Zack really didn't know. He only shrugged and rose a brow in confusion. "… Zack… "

"What is it? Am I missing something here?" Zack turned in his seat and sat cross-legged, legs folded as he hunched over, looking at the two.

"Mm… a lot." Vincent nodded. "It's unknown for how long Shin-Ra has kept it secret, but Deepground is an underground facility. Apparently, Shin-Ra was busy engineering super soldiers underneath what people usually saw."

"… W-What?… Super.. soldiers?"

"Killing machines." Vincent looked away, and up at the stars again.

… Zack pondered for a moment on what it meant to be in SOLDIER. What purpose did Shin-Ra establish SOLDIER for?… To just do the dirty work? To kill innocent lives?… That wasn't right.

As he looked at Aerith for a moment, who only gave him an assuring smile as she curled an arm around his and leaned against him, Zack wondered what Aerith honestly thought of him. She'd already said that she didn't think he was a monster, but the whole idea of Deepground being engineered secretly, the whole concept of harvesting mako, hurting the planet, Hojo, losing Angeal, realizing that the one SOLDIER he looked up to decided to break the world into pieces… and now this bastard of a scientist.

Zack wanted to curl up and just sleep it off.

Aerith looked up at him. She could sense he was feeling off about something, but she didn't want to suddenly burst into his thoughts. "… You alright?" she asked.

"… Mmm." Zack nodded slightly. "… And… what about Hojo?"

Vincent proceeded, as he sat up, "He scattered his data all over the worldwide network. That way, if he found a host body and uploaded himself onto that body, he would be whole again. He used Weiss to command the Tsviets and basically the whole of Deepground, and let out Omega." Vincent's mind was a scatter now. "… I'm sorry. There are just some things I'd rather not go back to."

Zack nodded. "We don't have to go through the whole story," he noted, "but I'm glad you shared this with me." He smiled wide. "Thanks, coffin man!"

Vincent looked at him and grinned. "That was me, yes."

"Man. Can you imagine? If I actually MET YOU that time… small world!" Zack snickered. "So... why were you in a coffin, then?"

"...Ah." Vincent nodded slightly. "I was... experimented on. To save my life, apparently. I can change into several forms, one of them being Chaos."

Zack blinked. "Wow. You can shapeshift?" He began to smile. "Can I see?"

Aerith's eyes widened, and she laughed. "Hey, maybe another time! Not now, Vincent may have some stuff to do."

While Zack pouted and went "Awww...", Vincent chuckled and stood.

"It's okay, Aerith. Just for 2 minutes." He nodded. "I have the Protomateria with me now, so... it's a bit easier for me to control him."

Aerith frowned. "Don't destroy anything, okay?" 

"I won't."

Zack watched like a little schoolboy as Vincent changed form - as a blanket of soft, velvet-like violet light embraced Vincent, sharp edges - like what seemed to be armor - began to show. Vincent's eyes became white and he was donned in red, had claws for hands and his hair was replaced by a horned-like helmet. Zack's eyes widened and he scooted backward.

"R..Really? This is you?" 

Vincent nodded. "I can change into Galian, too."

"Galian?" Zack and Aerith stood. The SOLDIER cadet raised a brow. "...Who's Galian?"

Vincent smiled slightly again and willed his body to change, that violet light happening again. In an instant, what was once red was now purple, and he had silvery-white hair for a mane. Zack laughed heartily. "Awesome!"

Now as Galian, on all fours he padded to Aerith, who only petted his head. The flower girl smiled down at him. "Good boy," she joked. She heard what seemed to be a disagreeing groan from him, and she laughed. "I'm just glad you're not hurting anyone."

Zack squatted down and reached out to the purple beast, who kindly padded to him and nuzzled his head against his hand. Zack had a huge smile on his face as he ruffled Galian's mane, and the beast leaned up to lick at his hand.

"This is insanely COOL..."

Aerith grinned. "Oi. Don't even think about having him for a pet!" she laughed.

Galian groaned again and walked off, changing into Vincent welcomingly. As soon as Vincent retained his form, he shook his head at the flower girl. "...Expect a random visit from either Chaos OR Galian," he remarked, smiling. "Well. There's another, but I'm afraid we'll hold that off for next time."

"No problem!" Zack put his hands on his hips and grinned. "Man... that was really cool, I must say!" He laughed. "Thanks... that lightened me up!"

Aerith gave Vincent a warm smile. "I'm glad you opened up, Vincent. You don't usually do that, I know."

Vincent nodded. "It's alright. Let's say I... learned that sometimes it's nice to." He let out his human hand, eyeing Zack. "I know you're a ghost and all, but thank you. It was nice to meet you."

Zack took his hand as if they had been friends for many years, a wide smile on his face. He shook it heartily. "You're welcome! It was nice to meet YOU. I'm so glad I met you!"

Aerith smiled. "Well... time to go, Zacky! I'll introduce you to another."

"Oh? Who?"

"…Yuffie! Now's as good a time as any!"

Vincent only smiled, quietly disappearing as the two conversed as they left.


	5. Ethereal Advice

**~Ch. 04 - Ethereal Advice~**

"Why won't you tell me where we're going? I'm getting scared…"

"Oh… it sounds like you don't trust me."

"That's not what I meant…" He frowned. "I'm just worried you're doing an entrapment operation or something!"

She pouted. "WHY in the world would I want to do that?" A sigh escaped her as she shook her head and began to laugh. "I can't do that to you."

"Where are we going, then?"

"In a town right there, beyond the cliffs. It's a quiet town, and really pretty, especially when winter comes." Aerith smiled, and held his hand. "Ready?"

"Huh…" Zack scratched his head, sighing heavily. "This again?… Can we do something a _little _more safer?"

Aerith only laughed and gave his cheek a kiss as she took him into an embrace. "Careful, I don't have a barf bag!"

And they poofed again.

Just as instantly as they disappeared, they appeared on one of the cliffs that had a hanging bridge. Zack groaned and stumbled as soon as they landed, but Aerith made sure he was okay as she chuckled. "Sorry. It's just the quickest way to get here, you know?" she said with a smile as she helped him up.

Zack sighed and blinked a few times, feeling a whizzing in his head slightly. "Man. You and your powers. Maybe if I ask you to teach me how to, it would be easier for me." He grinned.

"I would _love_ to give you lessons!" Aerith beamed, clasping her hands together as she smiled up brightly at him. "Just say when, I'll be right there with you." She nodded.

Zack snickered and pulled her close to kiss her forehead, and looked around. He had to admit, it was pretty up there on the cliffs. "Okay, so… now that we're here… where exactly _are_ we?" he asked, looking around.

"This is Wutai."

Of course, he had been to Wutai - he was sent on a mission to help dispatched SOLDIERs there. But Zack blinked, not realizing the landscape's beauty. Zack had traveled here via a Shin-Ra chopper, but at that time there were SOLDIERs on board and they were scrunched up inside like sardines, so he couldn't really take the time to peek out and see the view. The only time he had ever been to Wutai was when a war broke out. He could vividly remember the scenery of the whole situation. Pure panic.

She looked up and into his eyes, and smiled as she raised a brow. "I think you've been here."

"I have," he said, "Yeah. Was sent here on a mission by Lazard." _And that's where it all started…_ he thought.

"Hmm. Well," Aerith began, "I've made _this_ mission just for you." She grinned, and took his hand again. "We'll be crossing by foot, so you're alright. Another laugh came from her and she tugged him gently, humming a soft song to make the walk at least a little more enjoyable, hoping he'd sing along with her.

The couple crossed bridges and cliffs, until they reached a steep part of the short travel and Aerith resorted to making a swift and soft jump down. At Wutai's welcoming front arch she smiled, and with a soft giggle clapped her hands once.

"Well, here we are!"

Zack blinked, looking around. He understood they were ethereal now, but for a minute under the soft glow of moonlight he felt human. The sight of a quiet town settled before him made him feel like he was right in Midgar, under the plate. He could remember Sector 8's quiet plaza, the way neon lights glowed when LOVELESS was playing in the theater nearby. Of course, here in Wutai, it was a little more toned-down.

"Wow… Sure I've been to Wutai, but not this part of town." Zack rubbed his nape, half-smiling. "…Maybe because a war broke out back then… I wasn't able to see this side of it…"

Aerith tilted her head to look at him and linked an arm around his waist. "Come on, I'll show you where she is."

As they walked the streets, crossed short bridges that had koi ponds underneath, they talked under a starry night. They could hear families in their homes talking over dinner, and they peeked through windows seeing children play with little wooden toy horses. But the pagoda that stood tall, in the middle of a little grove in the town, made the Cetra excited for what was to come.

"And here we are… And we need to poof again."

_"Whaaaaat…"_

"Come on, just one more time." She pouted.

"Well alright," Zack replied with a laugh as he pulled her close. "Even if it means I'd get dizzy, I'll do it _just_ for you." He kissed the side of her head and whispered. "I love you that much."

She giggled. "That's good. And heeeeeere we _goooo~!"_

They poofed and soon arrived at the top floor of the pagoda, and stood behind a _washi_-papered door. Aerith raised a finger to signal Zack to keep quiet, and she peeked inside to look.

… And there, seated at a low table, a short-haired ninja sat, fastly eating her bowl of Wutain ramen. Two more were settled on the table.

Zack's eyes grew wide, and his words became syllabicated as he pointed at the ninja. He stepped back. "Hey…Wha… HEY! I…I-I KNOW HER! I recognize her!… The short hair, the bandana around her head-"

Aerith covered his mouth again and blinked. "…You do?"

Zack muffled an, "I do! I really do, HONEST!" reply.

Yuffie stopped eating for a moment, hearing a creak in the floor. She could swear it was someone walking down the hallway… or maybe a rodent?

… When the couple hid again and no creak came from the floor, she continued to eat.

"… … Yuffie?"

Her mouth full, the ninja turned to the doorway and blinked. Aerith was peeking around the door, a soft smile on her face. The sight of her made the ninja drop her chopsticks.

"Holy… AERITH!" As quick as she was when stealing materia, Yuffie Kisaragi bumrushed to her to give her a quick and tight embrace. Aerith was left there giggling to herself as Zack stepped aside, watching her with big blue eyes. Yuffie, however, faceplanted the ground and groaned. She thumped her forehead against the floor softly a few times and frowned as she got up. "… Dang. I forgot. You're not human anymore."

Aerith grinned. "Sorry. Are you okay?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah… I'm okay." Yuffie laughed for a bit. "So you came to visit me, huh?"

"Aaaactually I have someone to introduce you to." She peeked inside. "Oh, you haven't finished your ramen…"

Yuffie blinked and rushed back inside, and busily buried herself into her ramen once more. "Plea-umm-in!"

The Cetra understood that of course, and she gave Zack a kiss on the cheek before she came in and sat in front of Yuffie. She watched as the ninja finished, and picked up the other bowl. "…How've you been?"

Yuffie took a moment to stop eating and swallow down. "I'm okay. You'd be glad to know I haven't been stealing materia lately!" she answered, grinning at the ethereal Cetra. "So how's life where you are? Haven't seen you in a long time…"

"Hmm…" Aerith sighed. "I've been traveling, actually. I went to Icicle Inn earlier!" she continued happily, nodding. "Had to show this person I'm going to introduce you to some things about myself…"

Yuffie knew what was in Icicle Inn. Yuffie tilted her head and began to eat again. "Eh?… Who is it?"

Aerith looked behind her shoulder and at the open doorway. "Zack?"

… As the ninja's brow rose, the SOLDIER cadet peeked round the corner and blinked. He walked out slowly, scratching his head with one hand and with the other, waved at the two ladies. "Hi there," he spoke. "Would it be okay if I came in and sat with you guys?"

Yuffie's eyes grew wide as she stared at the other ethereal form. She scowled as she began to remember a memory from her childhood and pointed at him, looking at each of them. "…O-Oh… SWEET GAEA HEY I KNOW YOU!"

"Yes, actually," the cadet spoke up, smiling brightly as he folded his arms across his chest and proceeded to join them, sitting down beside Aerith. Zack jutt out a hand's thumb afterward, introducing himself. "Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class!"

"H-Holy shit…" Yuffie stared wide-eyed. "You're the guy I ran into during the Wutai War!… Aerith, THIS is your boyfriend?"

Aerith giggled. "Why yes he is," she answered, looking at the two. "Fortunately we crossed paths in the afterlife…" She looked at Zack and smiled.

"He's the one who never came back, right?"

…Zack frowned for a minute, but he managed to just smile a little.

Aerith sensed the uneasiness, however. "Well… he was killed in action-"

"I was a fugitive." Zack answered quietly. "There was some betrayal going on in SOLDIER, all that… I was on the run. Shin-Ra sent some thousand troops to look for me and Cloud back then, and I died fighting.

Aerith kept quiet, not knowing what to say about the whole incident.

"…O-Oh… man, sorry…" Yuffie frowned. "I didn't mean to say it so bluntly like that, it's just that… well, you know… that's what I heard…"

Zack shook his head. "It's okay." He smiled. "It already happened. But now I'm here, and I'm kinda back! Heh-heh."

Aerith clapped her hands and smiled brightly. "I didn't know you knew each other! Well, Zack… this is Yuffie Kisaragi. The White Rose of Wutai!"

"DAAAAMN STRRRRRRAIGHT."

Zack nodded and snickered. "Wow, Yuffie. You've grown into a fine young lady since I last saw you! You were NINEEEE back theeeen… now you're all grown up!" He rubbed his nose and chuckled. "Taken care of yourself really well, must say!"

Yuffie grumbled and finished her bowl of ramen instead. The two stared at her intently, mumbling some things as she ate her ramen greedily. Yuffie slammed the bowl down on the table and got up to lean over, and waved her hand _through_ Zack. She narrowed her eyes at him. _"You. _Have materia?"

"Unfortunately, can't give you some! Heh-heh."

"Do you have a stash?"

"Nnnnnope."

"Really?"

"Yyyyep."

"You're lying."

Zack pouted and folded his arms across his chest again. "Heeeey. What makes you think I'd LIE about not having materia? And besides I wouldn't give them to you even if I had them."

"Pfft. I'm as quick as lightning! Hence my limit break." Yuffie smirked.

Zack's brow rose. "Which is…?"

"Duh, 'Grease Lightning'? Oh, right, YOU MISSED OUT ON SOME YEARS ABOUT ME. Well there it is and I said it and most probably you'll think that's the weirdest name for a limit break." Yuffie huffed.

Zack stared at her. "….That is the most _redundant_ thing I have ever heard."

"Oh, FINE, what's yours then, huh? I heard from my sources - and I won't tell you, ever - that you had to use some sort of SOLDIER contraption to do your limit breaks."

"Oh, the DMW?"

"What's that then?" Yuffie asked as she took the third bowl into her hands and began eating again.

"Digital Miiiind Waaaaave." Zack nodded smugly. "Unfortunately, little girls like you can't use them." He grinned. "But I could make an exception. How about a kiss?"

"What? NO."

"Ahh, I know! How about, ONE DATE?" Zack raised a finger, emphasizing the point.

Aerith giggled at the remark; Zack only winked at her, knowing what went through her mind.

Immediately, Yuffie coughed as she set the bowl down and quickly swallowed her food, then eyed Aerith, who only shrugged as she smiled. "…SWEET CARROT CAKE. Gaea, your boyfriend's a MASSIVE FLIRT!"

Aerith couldn't help but laugh. "He is, and surprisingly I'm quite used to it. I think the fact that I've seen him try to hit on girls in the Lifestream made me accept him for what he is even more."

Zack sighed. "I'm just sweet, that's all. I'm a nice guy, you've gotta admit." He smiled.

"Overly, most of the time!" Aerith nudged him and grinned. "It makes me feel uneasy and jealous sometimes for just a bit, but I still love you though."

"GET A ROOOOOM…" Yuffie muffled as she began to eat again. The couple only laughed quietly.

"I'm glad you're okay, Yuffie." The Cetra nodded, smiling. "I hope you and your dad are okay too."

"Pfft," the ninja said with a frown. She set down her third bowl of ramen and sighed. "…We're okay… I guess."

Zack blinked. "…What's the matter?"

"He expects a lot from me, really." Yuffie shook her head, suddenly feeling a loss of appetite. "…Eh. You know how fathers are when they have daughters. Very expectant. He treats me like a princess too much sometimes it's suffocating. Makes me wonder whether it really comes from _looooove_ or something else retarded."

"Your dad loves you, I'm sure! No parent can resist their kid." Zack smiled as he nodded. "And he wants what's best for you. All parents want what's best for their children."

"Yeah? Like, locking me up here in the pagoda and helping him take care of Wutai? I'm not a prisoner, I'm a ninja! I'm supposed to be free running around doing whatever I want-"

"Stealing materia?" Aerith smiled. "You know that it can't always be a routine, Yuffie… Don't you think your dad wants you to stay around and help him because he wants you to be more productive? Wants to help improve you as a person?"

Yuffie stared at her. "I'm being productive. Heck, I help Tifa out at 7th! Guys… You don't understand. He wants to LOCK ME UP." Yuffie sighed. "Honestly, even that old man Cid is much more of a dad unlike my real dad here."

Aerith pondered about Cid. How _was _that man, anyway?

"I think you should talk to your dad, if you ask me. It's not too late to patch things up!" Zack grinned. "I think Aerith would be upset too if you didn't at least try."

"I know she's trying… Yuffie's just trying to gather some courage for some time so when she talks to her dad, it'll be okay…"

Yuffie didn't say anything, but deep inside she thought Aerith was correct.

Aerith leaned against Zack and looked at Yuffie, smiling softly. "I really do know you're trying, Yuffie… But do you feel scared?"

"Scared? Please. I'm not scared of anything!"

The Cetra sat up straight and tilted her head at Yuffie as she spoke softly. "C'mon, I'm sure there's something… we all have fears, big or small, you know?"

… Yuffie thought about her dad. She admitted to herself things back then were okay, but screwed over when her mom died. As she thought about her father she realized he was doing all he could to make sure she was a decent young lady growing up, whether it meant he was too strict about the house being clean or she couldn't play outside unless she had finished household chores and schoolwork. Yuffie realized her dad had been the mother _and_ the father of the household ever since her mom died, and that she was lucky her father was still around… even if she was a troublemaker. The ninja admitted to herself too, that she was scared, despite the tough exterior, although that was naturally how she was.

"Yeah… I guess. Scared of losing him. I lost mom already; I mean, I'd like to have independence, but it's…" She sighed. "Man. PFFT, whatever. I really don't know. I try not to think about things like these."

"Hmm…" Aerith looked up at Zack, and leaned up to whisper something in his ear.

Zack blinked. "…Are you sure?"

"Mmhm. Just for tonight. Promise?"

"I promise."

"Good." She kissed his cheek again and stood up.

Yuffie looked at the two. "What- hey, where are you going, Aerith?"

"Weeeeell, I'll be walking around the town for a while. You guys go catch up, okay? See you later!-"

"-HEY WAIT YOU CAN'T JUST LEAVE HIM WITH ME!" But as quick as she smiled at the ninja, Aerith had already left. Yuffie headdesked the table. "Whaaaat theeee…"

Zack laughed. "Hey, it can't be THAT bad. This is just catching up!" He grinned at her and leaned across the table, his arms folded to support himself on it. "Anyway, as you were saying," Zack continued, this time without the intention of flirting. "About your dad."

"Ahh." The ninja continued to gather her thoughts. "…Well… I _am_ scared of losing him…" Yuffie rubbed her nape and looked at the half-finished third bowl of ramen. She folded her arms and leaned on the table, frowning. "…When I think about it, some of the other kids in town don't have their parents anymore and whenever they see me, they talk to me about my dad. And yet I'm not really open about him-"

"Do you treat him well? I mean, when you see him, do you say hello?"

"No, he instantly yells at me. Tells me to do this and do that… I know he just wants what's best for me, but I'm old enough to go out and have fun. That's why I just make my own escape route and do whatever. This is the only time I've ever come back here."

"So during the time away, you've been stealing materia," Zack laughed.

"AAAND traveling with the gang, staying at Tifa's!" Yuffie nodded. "I mean, come on - I'm twenty-something now and I come back here to Wutai," Yuffie continued, sitting up straight as her voice grew more expressive, "and he's telling me off like when I was younger! I mean it seriously, Cid is much more of a dad than he is."

"Cid?"

"Cid Highwind. He's a pilot. Wanted to go to space but the rocket launch failed. Shin-Ra helped fund his project, but stopped supporting him eventually. Anyway, so yeah - dad's not really someone I like to hang around."

"Hmm…" Zack pondered on a right thing to say for Yuffie - someone who had her father, yet felt she wasn't treated as she deserved to be treated. "…Well, you're right. Your dad may not be treating you as you think you deserve, but it's never too late to talk it out, y'know?" He gave her a bright smile and sat up straight. "Your dad loves you, we know. I guess some people just have difficulty showing that they care, but they feel it. I'm sure that's the kind your dad is like. Why don't you try talking to him?"

"Eh… I guess I could try. Wouldn't do any harm, right?"

"Right," Zack replied. "So, am I going to get that date yet?" He snickered.

Yuffie hurled the empty bowl of ramen at him, completely forgetting that he was a ghost. "I TOLD YOU, NO. I'm not into that mushy stuff, EEWW!"

"Reeeeeeally?" Zack smirked.

"YES."

The two were quiet. Yuffie scowled at him and Zack clapped a fist's set of knuckles against another palm of his. "Alriiiiight, it's a DATE!-"

"I MEANT NO, NO DATE! Moron!"

Zack laughed. "Well, you already gave your confirmation."

Yuffie groaned and headdesked again. "You have _got_ to be kidding me… AERITH?"

"Nnnnope, she's not here! Went for a walk, remember?"

The ninja looked up at him. "…She told you to take me on a date, didn't she?"

… Zack whistled.

"DIDN'T SHE?"

Zack rubbed his nose.

"ZACK!"

Zack blinked and smiled sweetly. "Yeeees?"

"Did you hear me?"

"What exactly?"

"…You should be so glad you're not alive or else you'd be on the floor RIGHT ABOUT NOW."

"Whoooooaaaa… heh-heh. That sounds VERY intimidating, Yuffie." Zack leaned forward and bounced his brows. "Kinda tempting too."

And quite evidently, Yuffie blushed. And she tried to cover it by facepalming.

Zack only laughed. True to his personality, he admitted that he liked seeing girls blush, and _making_ them blush. Unfortunately when he was alive, not many girls favored his presence. It was only Aerith that succumbed to his personality's 'wares', apparently, and he liked that she was quite protective of him, but he still enjoyed being a little flirt and she understood it was just his way of being sweet and nice. The fact that he was loyal to her comforted her too. But right now, Aerith asked him to take Yuffie out on a date, just to make her feel better. And Zack didn't want to fail Aerith.

"Come on, it's just for tonight. I'm never going to ask you on a date again. I PROMISE." Zack nodded. He put his hands together and tilted his head at her. "Pleeeeease?"

"OKAY, OKAY!" Yuffie huffed, waving it off. "Fine. Just tonight! Other than that nothing else!"

"WOOHOO! I promise this'll be the best date you've ever had. Although… quite frankly… they won't see me." Zack pinched the bridge of his nose in thought.

Yuffie laughed. "Another reason why I say NO to this. You and Aerith are better off."

Zack grinned. "Nah. A walk can be a date too, you know?"

…What they didn't know was, Aerith was up on the roof listening to their conversation. Zack and Yuffie left the ninja's quarters and went out into the quiet town. As the two enjoyed the quiet night together, Aerith smiled, watching them talk like old friends. When Yuffie showed signs that she was already sleepy around 2 hours later, Zack escorted her back upstairs and she slept. The cadet reunited with his girlfriend, and as the Cetra gave him an ethereal embrace, off they poofed once more.


	6. Inspiration

**~Ch. 05 - Inspiration~**

In a second's worth they arrived at Rocket Town.

Rocket Town wasn't as big as Wutai or as complicated as Midgar - in fact, if anything, it was one of the simplest towns on the face of Gaea. And it was the simplicity of it all that charmed Aerith the most. She liked the fact that the sky could be seen, and small grocery stores were just a few feet away. She wanted to show Zack that the town was one of the charming places she had ever been too, although some considered it run-down. Zack, on the other hand, liked the fact that it was peaceful and quiet.

In the stillness of the night they roamed through the streets, and Aerith peeked through windows again looking for a particular home she wanted to show Zack.

"Are you looking for something?"

"Someone, actually!" Aerith smiled as she whispered. "I think you should meet him."

"GODDAMMIT, SHERA! I TOLD YOU TO KEEP THE KETTLE HOT! *#&$! JUST 'CAUSE I ASK YOU TO DO SOMETHIN' ELSE DOESN'T MEAN YOUR ATTENTION HAS TO BE RETARDED!"

The two were wide-eyed as the yelling ensued in one of the houses. Zack looked around; apparently everyone wasn't so baffled about it. It seemed… normal.

Aerith sighed. "He's always like that."

Zack blinked. "Who?"

"Mr. Cid Highwind." The Cetra nodded. "He's… got a bit of a temper. He can be very scary sometimes."

"Oh, Cid! Yeah, Yuffie mentioned him earlier…" Zack watched as Aerith walked to a window to peek inside, and he followed right behind her to make sure she was okay. "And he IS scary…"

"..I forgot…"

"You forgot! AGAIN! How many times do I have'ta tell you, TEA IS MEANT T'BE HOT. Is it so frickin' hard to memorize?"

Inside, a woman wearing a ponytail and glasses quietly rubbed her nape as she talked to a man seated at the table

"…Poor Shera… And I thought Cid had changed already…"

Zack blinked and shook his head, not believing what he was seeing. "That's kinda rude. No lady should be treated like that!"

"How about I just buy you some hot oolong tea from the tea house next door," Shera said with a sigh. "That way you wouldn't have to raise your voice and lose it too."

Cid just scowled at Shera, but this time he couldn't really yell at her again. It was times like these when Cid knew Shera was right that he felt a tad bit guilty about his manners with her. He only shook his head and continued looking at the blueprint maps on the table. "Well thanks. That's nice of you," Cid said, not looking at her.

Shera smiled at him nonetheless. "I'll buy you some rice cakes too. Be right back." And with that, she left the house, and Aerith peeked 'round the corner watching her walk away.

As the Cetra peeked into the window again, she began to wonder - had Cid lost some sort of motivation in life? In the few years she had been roaming Gaea, she noticed Cid's morale begin to diminish. But then, there was the Highwind, wasn't there? He was able to travel, and have good friends with him too: Barret, Tifa, Yuffie, Vincent, Cloud, Red XIII, and the two kids and Cait Sith. They were able to have vacations very often. But there were days, Aerith remembered, that Cid wanted to be alone and he had to battle with his temper. Especially if he had to come back to Rocket Town because in his terms, Shera was a threat to his house.

Aerith sighed, leaning against Zack. "I'm worried about Cid."

"Hm?" Zack looked down at her, pulling her close. He watched as the blonde pilot began to grab his compass and mechanical pencil, and started sketching on a separate sheet of paper. Zack frowned. "…He seems lonely, if you ask me. Have you tried to talk to him, though?" He smiled.

"Oh, you know me. I try to do my job…" Aerith's voice began to soften. "…I've been around, as you know… Honestly, I think he's losing the will to be who he is."

"What do you mean?"

"I think he misses having that dream of going to space… you know, something to achieve. I guess some people are like that. They try to hide it, but really, all they want is some sense of accomplishment, or something to do." Aerith smiled up at him. "…Shin-Ra ditched him somehow, after all."

"Again." Zack scowled. "Aerith, I'm getting tired of that company. Even if it's not very active right now…" Shin-Ra again, Zack thought. Zack always thought Shin-Ra was to blame, but then again sometimes it's people's choices that really matter, right? And definitely some people made bad choices.

It was always Shin-Ra this, Shin-Ra that. And although it naturally wasn't his life, he didn't like it that other people's lives _and_ dreams were put at stake by a company that thought it was higher above everyone else and could abuse nature's way of working. And with a scowl on his face, Aerith understood his momentary silence completely. She patted his cheek softly, and leaned up to kiss his jaw to comfort him. Zack only smiled.

"Yuffie told me what happened to Cid. His rocket launch failed," Zack said with a sigh. "…I wonder what Minerva had to say to the ones who sinned."

"Hey. Let's not worry about that, Minerva can deal with them, as you know." Aerith laughed. "Come on. I'll introduce you to Cid."

Zack nodded and followed suit as Aerith entered the house, passing right through the front door. She peeked around the corner and watched Cid as he worked on his blueprints, and Zack stayed right behind her, knowing what she was doing.

He raised a brow, however, and smiled - Aerith wasn't this polite around Zack. In fact oftentimes she'd pop up out of nowhere and surprise him. But everyday she never ceased to amaze him and she made him smile, though it was in fact, creepy that she always knew wherever he was. Zack shook his head and laughed softly all of a sudden.

Aerith turned to him and blinked. "Is something wrong?" she whispered.

"No… nothing." He said with a wide smile, and put his arms around her waist. "I just remembered something. Is Cid alright? Maybe he's busy for a visit."

"Nah, he always has time. He's just grumpy, that's all." Aerith smiled. "I was just about to get in and say hi. Wanna join me?"

"No problem."

The Cetra peeked again and even if she was ethereal, she bothered to knock on the wooden doorway. Cid raised his head and looked around, definitely hearing the knocking, but he saw no one. The pilot cleared his throat and shook his head, thinking it was just a rat-

"….Ciiiiiiiiiddd…"

Cid's eyes were wide open. He darted looks here and there, feeling his palms start to sweat and get cold. That was his body's way of sending signals that he was getting nervous or excited. He hurriedly started to roll up the blueprints and pushed away the sketch pad and other materials.

"Ciiiiiiiiiiiiidddd…!"

The pilot's voice rose, almost coarse. "WHAT THE HELL, I'M NOT AFRAID OF YA! BUT WHATEVER YOU ARE GET OUTTA MY FRIGGIN' HOUSE!"

Aerith laughed. She didn't mind that he suddenly yelled - he was evidently scared. The Cetra could even see beads of sweat start to form around his forehead and she was quite amused. "It's me, Aerith! I can't believe you're not used to me yet and I talk to you sometimes!"

Zack tried to stifle a laugh, not wanting to freak the pilot out any longer.

Cid was actually about to enter the bathroom to go and hide, but he stopped and looked around. "Wha… the hell, DON'T SCARE ME LIKE THAT! Where are ya? Show yourself!"

"I'm right heeere. Turn around!"

And Cid did. Right there, Aerith was peeking around the doorway and she waved, a bright smile on her face. The pilot sighed and shook his head. "Goddammit. You keep doin' that and I swear I'll die! Send a memo next time!"

"I'm sorry. But you know my current state," the Cetra laughed. "Anyway… is it okay I'm around? You seem busy."

"Yeah, yeah… sure. Hang around." Cid took a deep breath and went to sit back down at the table. "Shera just went off to buy me some tea."

"I saw," Aerith replied quite sweetly.

"Okay, NOW you're scarin' me. You have to watch EVERYTIME? Creepy."

Aerith shook her head and laughed again. "Well, not everyday. But you get the picture."

Zack laced his fingers with Aerith's, suddenly not wanting to interrupt. But Aerith gave him an assuring smile and tugged him forward, telling him it'd be okay. The Cetra made sure that if she showed herself with Zack, Cid wouldn't run away screaming through Rocket Town's streets. As the pilot rubbed his face and blinked as he shook his head, wanting to make sure he wasn't hallucinating, Aerith calmly walked to the table.

"…I'm with someone today, actually…. if it's okay. I want to introduce him to you~" she said with a slight, happy melody. "You never got to meet him before…"

Zack cleared his throat. Man. This was just Cid, but suddenly it felt like meeting her parents.

Cid looked up and blinked as he eyed Aerith, and since he also had a third eye, he saw a pair of boots tailing right behind her, and a gloved hand interlaced with hers. Spikey hair was also evident right behind her, and a tinge of blue here and there…

"This is Zack Fair, Cid," the Cetra introduced. "…My first love. He never came back, but as you can see, we met again!" She couldn't help but giggle. And as for Zack, who gave a slight wave and stood right next to her, he grinned and definitely had an ego boost.

Cid blinked as he saw the SOLDIER uniform. "First class, yeah? Like someone I know. 'Course I think you both know him, so let's skip that part." He waved it off. "Nice to meet 'cha, kid."

The couple only smiled at the remark. Aerith watched the two as she decided to safely and carefully sit on the cabinet nearby, for fear that Shera was going to wonder why the other chairs on the table were pulled out for visitors and yet no one was around, only Cid. She didn't want to scare Shera. Zack on the other hand, only stayed right next to her.

"Nice to meet you too!" Zack smiled. "Yeah, First Class. Still proud of it though I'm dead!" He grinned.

"Ahh, good." Cid smirked and chuckled as he lit up a cigarette. "Nothin' like wearin' your medals… feels like you did something great in life." He looked away and grabbed an ashtray that sat on the table. Busy with his cigarette, he kept quiet for a moment.

But the two could see the sadness in his eyes. They also saw that he had lost the flame that propelled him to be what he was renowned for. Like Aerith said - and Zack took note of it - the pilot actually wanted to be an astronaut. But due to circumstances, Zack reckoned, the pilot could only reach the sky and not space. Being the eternal optimist, the cadet took some little joy knowing that at least Cid was able to do what he really wanted to do - _fly._

"So how've you been, Cid?" Aerith tilted her head slightly. "I hope you're okay."

"You need to ask that?" Cid snorted, but laughed afterwards. He set his cigarette aside for a minute and looked at the Cetra. "…Well. I'm okay, I guess. The usual. I'm thinkin' of making another ship, though." He pointed at the sketchpad nearby that he set aside, but then stared at it. "….Nah, you don't wanna see it. It's crap-"

"We'd love to see it!" Zack noted, encouraging him. He understood why Cid was feeling like this, but he also wanted to help Aerith out. "We don't mind. And if you need any help or ideas, we'd love to help out."

Aerith admired the fact that Zack was who he was. In fact she was more than happy he came along with her. She liked the fact that Zack was a natural in terms of encouragement, and she could sense he was trying to help her out. As she watched the two, she noticed Cid's mood begin to lighten - as he picked up the sketchpad and opened it, she noticed a soft smile begin to form.

Cid turned to the page he last stopped drawing on and stood it upright on his lap, showing the two. "This one right 'ere," he said, "Tiny Bronco the second."

The couple brightly wowed at the sight of it. Zack bent over and stared at his drawings with a smile. Cid even colored his sketches that they looked like they were from an art book, and he used a navy blue-colored pencil to sketch the body. But what Zack was really amazed at was his attention to detail, but he was sure amazement with the sort wasn't unusual anymore for Cid - after all, he was a pilot, _and_ wanted to become an astronaut.

Nevertheless, Zack wanted to make Cid feel better. "Wow… you've really GOT a hand for sketching, Cid! This is awesome! Are you building it right now?"

"Yeah, actually… heh. Though I'm kinda havin' a hard time gatherin' resources. Eh, you know the deal. Life nowadays is hard." He laid the sketchpad on his lap and looked at it, even tilted his head for a bit to see if his sketches were right. "Still gotta measure the wings correctly, though…"

"In any case…" Aerith clapped her hands once and chuckled. "This is great, Cid. You're doing something you're really good at. I'm glad you're going to build a new plane!"

"Yeah, I've had the best propellers delivered all the way from Junon. Shera helped me out. We just gotta get enough steel for the body and the frame for it, then the wings…"

…As Cid rambled on about planes and how he was going to make sure this was going to be better than the first Tiny Bronco, and maybe even better than the Highwind, and that he wanted this new plane to be a little bigger, Zack and Aerith listened on. The Cetra felt like she had accomplished something extraordinary for the day - even if it was just a smile that she put on someone's face, or that they felt better talking about what they were passionate about. Zack felt like he had done something he wasn't able to do much when he was still alive, and felt the same thing Aerith did - that his optimism paid off. Cid didn't know him as much as Aerith did, but Zack was glad that even in a little way, he was able to help someone feel better.

"…It's in the backyard. C'mon, I'll show ya!" Cid smirked as he crushed the butt of the cigarette into the ashtray's floor, and stood. The couple followed him right out, and the pilot put his hands on his hips as he stared at the apparatus he had on the grass. "Heh-heh… I'm kinda excited for this one, y'know? Been a while since I built somethin'."

"I know, Ciddy…" Aerith calmly noted, "and I'm glad you're doing this one. I really am."

Cid half-smiled to himself, trying to hide the fact that he knew why she was being like this, or why even Zack was having the same aura as hers. But true to himself, especially when he was alone, he couldn't mask it all up. Just like everyone else, he had problems too, and though it seemed weird to some, he was glad that a ghost had bothered to care about him. He considered himself lucky; most would have run away.

The pilot shook his head and looked off - the rocket he once tried to fly, now inclined due to the accident before - made him smile. The creases on his skin began to show, and the Cetra knew how he was feeling.

"…I know it's kinda weird hearing this from me…" Zack began, looking at the rocket too, "…since we just met and all. But… it's not over yet, you know?" He looked at Cid, and nodded as he smiled. He looked up. "You may not have been able to go to space, but you still have your friends and you get to fly. You've got Shera too! They want what's best for you. I'm sure they don't talk much about how much they're concerned for you, but they want you to be happy. Whether it's flying, or building… go do it! Like I always say, embrace your dreams." Zack nodded. "Always keep the dream -_ and_ the faith - with you. It doesn't matter whether it happens or not - what matters is you don't lose or let go of the fire."

Aerith stepped back to stay on the sidelines, watching Zack work his magic.

Cid turned to face the cadet, who had an assuring smile on his face. As he looked up, he felt a sense of safety underneath all the stars. The pilot realized… what was there to lose? He was very lucky to have a group of friends who traveled with him all around the world, and supported him no matter what happened. They were a crazy group of friends, and their personalities were very different from one another, but he realized… that despite differences they seemed to have a compromise all the time and no one had a problem with it; he had a support group, and the fact that he was doing what he loved at the same time… that was happiness, wasn't it?

"…Y'know, kid… Aerith's really lucky to have ya." Cid chuckled and grinned. "I'd hug you right now, but obviously I can't."

Zack laughed and nodded. "It's alright. Naturally we both understand!" The cadet snickered. "…Well. Thanks, Cid. I appreciate it. You'll be okay in the end. Aerith and I, and your friends too, know it."

"Thanks, kid. I appreciate the effort." Cid looked at Aerith, who remained quiet as she stayed right next to the back door and watched them. "You okay there, Aer?"

"Hm? Yeah, I'm fine!" Aerith brightly smiled and nodded at him, giving a slight wave of her hand.

"Well… been a long day," the pilot said with a heavy sigh as he stretched. Aerith approached him and Zack. "You guys don't mind that I rest for the night? And Shera's gonna come back soon enough, I'm sure. She might flip if she saw ya."

The couple laughed. "I suppose we better get going," Aerith said, looking up at Zack. "Have to visit some other peo-… ah!" And again, Aerith clapped her hands once, but this time because she remembered something - well, someone, rather. "Hey Cid, how's Barret?"

"Big Bear? He's okay." Cid shrugged. "Last I heard he was off to Junon deliverin' oil. Rufus gave him a nice chopper to fly, but it's Reno drivin' for Barret." Cid cackled. "Deserves the Turkey right! Bein' the president's henchman and all."

Zack blinked. "Reno… met that guy in Sector 8 before… red hair, always had goggles on his head. But who's Barret?…"

"Barret! One of our friends too. He's currently busy with delivering oil rigs, and if you must know, he has a machine gun for a right arm."

The cadet's eyes became wide again. "…You've got an artillery of friends!"

Cid and Aerith laughed. "I'll introduce you to him," Aerith reminded. "Actually, he's next in our list!" She nodded, and turned to face Cid. "…It was nice seeing you again, Cid. And take care of Shera. Be nice to her, okay?"

"Yeah, yeah…" the pilot replied, smirking. But when he looked at the Cetra, he just couldn't have the guts to say one thing, and then do another. "…Okay. I'll be nice to her."

"Promiiiiiise?"

"Promise."

"Be nice to her forever!" Aerith grinned. "She's a really hard worker, you know… she does what she asks you to and cares about you, Cid." She nodded.

"And remember, you should NEVER be rude to a lady!" Zack said with a wink, smiling smugly after. "A lady like her deserves all the love in the world."

"Yeah, yeah, I'm sleepy now!" Cid cackled. "Well… again, thanks, both of ya. I really appreciate the visit. When I'm done with this plane… you'll come and join us, right?" He asked with a smile.

"Of course! But for now, we all better get some rest."

Just then, the three heard the front door open. Shera came through, a holding a plastic bag in her right hand as she fumbled for the keys to slip them back into her pocket.

"I'm home!"

Zack grinned when he heard it, and nodded off to Cid. "Go get that tea, tiger!"

Cid rolled his eyes and chuckled as he went back in, and the couple watched through the window again.

"…Oh, you were working outside?"

Cid shook his head and closed the back door. "Nah. Just checked on the plane. Makin' sure it's as accurate as my sketch."

"Ah. Well…I brought your tea, and the rice cakes too…" Shera set the bag on the table and unpacked the food, making sure they were complete and she didn't miss out on anything. "So many people in the tea house!" She giggled.

"…Well… thanks for rememberin'." Cid rubbed his nape and sat at the table. "Are ya gonna sleep soon?"

"Not really." Shera sat at the table and began distributing. "…Was hoping we could have this snack together and talk about the plane."

Cid blinked. Abruptly, he looked behind his shoulder - the backyard was faintly but beautifully illuminated by the moon outside. When he looked through the window, Aerith and Zack had gone, leaving him to smile to himself. And the pilot, for the first time in a long while, felt like he could take on the world.


	7. Support

**~Ch. 06 - Support~**

Time seemed to float on by as they were floating, traveling around Gaea.

… But Aerith was already used to this, and Zack was getting used to the process as well. The couple didn't have watches, but they knew by the look of the sky that it was almost 10 in the evening. So far they had been enjoying visiting people, definitely Aerith - she wanted her friends to know the man she had been in love with, and although she never really asked Zack how he was feeling about this whole traveling stint so far, she hoped it was alright with him.

But the groaning of an engine - a truck driving down a rocky road - caught her attention.

_"It's him!" _She gleefully said, and Zack blinked.

"Who?"

"Mr. Barret Wallace. Big bear!"

The truck stopped after a while, and out of the driver's seat came a burly man who was attending to a cellphone call, and he had cornrows for his hair. His right arm, a machine gun, caught Zack's attention. But it was the man's mood that made Zack even more attentive.

Aerith frowned. Off she floated ahead of Zack, and the cadet followed as she hid behind one side of the truck, as Barret was on the other side.

"Yeah, I'mma bring you yo' rigs! Be impatient like that an' ya won't get 'em!… Look, FINE. Doesn't matter if it's jus' 500 gil, I jus' need my pay. My kid's goin' back to school soon an' I ain't got 'nuff to pay Tifa back!… Ya know I've got heavy debts, man! An' what 'chu givin' ain't even 'nuff and decent!"

Aerith listened intently and frowned. "Barret…"

"$%!&*! THERE! TAKE THAT, GREEDY SCUM!" And with that, Barret threw his phone into the ground, and smashed it constantly with his foot in rage.

Zack pursed his lips in thought. He thought hard of ways to help out, but he felt too sad at what he saw, and especially with what he heard. Aerith, on the other hand, took a slight peek and watched as Barret sat on the ground, head in his hands. He wasn't crying, but he groaned in disappointment. As she bit her lip in thought, her mind raced for a possible way to comfort him, but as always she didn't want to suddenly appear out of nowhere and scare him, although they knew each other.

… Barret stared at the phone, and suddenly he felt all the more like crap. The mobile phone was a gift from Tifa on his birthday, and now that it was broken, he didn't have any way to buy a new one, or contact Tifa and tell her about it - more so about his pay. He felt scared - what would Tifa think? Although she was kind, she was also strict somehow, especially when it came to finances. He didn't want to ask for money from Cloud too although he earned a lot with deliveries because he felt it wasn't proper, and he'd just bury himself in more debts even if he was giving.

"…Smile, Barret…~"

Barret smiled, just as she said. "Ya always know when to come 'round, huh?"

"Actually, I'm not sure if this is a right time…" Aerith came out of her hiding and looked at him. Barret looked up at her and she waved at him. "…Hello."

"Hi, Aer." Barret frowned genuinely, and got up. He waved back at her. "Ya doin' okay?"

"Mmhm."

Aerith looked to the side, and watched as a quiet Zack Fair shook his head and waved his hands slightly, signalling for her not to introduce him this time. He nodded off to her and ushered her quietly to just talk to him alone; Zack didn't want to get in their way, feeling that Aerith was the expert with this sort of conversation.

"I'm okay." The Cetra gave him a smile and nodded. "…I can see that you aren't, though… what's wrong?"

Barret shook his head. "…Nah… nothin'. Jus' caught up in a pile o' crap. 'Nuff 'bout me, 'sup wit 'chu lately? Still travelin'?"

Aerith smiled sadly. "I came to check up on all of you. I missed you all. And actually I want to introduce you to someone!" Suddenly her mood brightened. "Just an old friend you didn't get to meet before." She grinned.

"Yeah? Who is it?"

Aerith beckoned Zack to come forward quietly, and the cadet sighed as he came out of his own hiding. Zack waved. "This is Zack Fair," Aerith introduced with a smile, "Zack, this is Barret Wallace. The gang's one man army."

"Nice label ya got, Aer. Kinda like it!" Barret laughed. "So you're her "old friend", huh? Heh. You're her boyfriend, I can tell. I heard 'bout 'chu, man. Anyway, I'd shake yo' hand, but I can't."

Zack chuckled. "It's no problem. Zack Fair, SOLDIER 1st Class!" he said confidently with a grin, as if he had rehearsed that line a million times before. He took a deep sigh and looked at the phone on the ground. "…Oh. Broken phone?"

"Was pissed. I dunno if Aerith's told ya, but I kinda got a problem with temper." Barret grinned. "Not so good for me. Marlene reminds me I might die of a heart attack." He shook his head, leading Aerith to giggle. "I already got a problem with ma' blood pressure."

"Don't go destroying things next time, then," the Cetra kindly reminded, "Kinda puts a lot of things at stake as you know." Aerith winked at her own remark.

"Yeah. Anyway… was jus' 'bout to go for a drive. Wanna come with?"

"…Well… if you don't mind having a ghost ride in your truck?"

"Ha! No, I dun' mind an' ya know it." Barret laughed. "C'mon in. Make yerselves at home."

The three got into the truck and Barret immediately turned up the ignition, driving off. Throughout the course of the drive, Barret was quiet, but the couple couldn't blame him for being so. Aerith knew that humor sometimes was Barret's way of trying to get through things, especially if it was a heavy problem. Barret was a natural optimist whose temper sometimes got in the way of things, but it was his determination that made Aerith admire him the most. He wasn't the leader of AVALANCHE for nothing, she thought with a smile.

"…Can I ask sumthin'?"

"Go ahead," Aerith immediately responded, eager to help him out. "What is it?"

"… … Ya think Tifa would kill me if I told her again I can't pay her?… An' if I asked her to get Marlene into school?…"

Aerith looked at Zack, as if telepathically asking for help.

"… … Nevermind. You dun' have'ta help me out on this-"

"I don't think she'd be angry…" Aerith shook her head. "Tifa's really nice and kind. She's considerate too. Does she have any idea about what you're going through, though…?"

"Oh, she knows," Barret kept his eyes on the road as he frowned. "She knows an' I dun' wanna annoy her no more. Tifa usually says it's okay, but I know it ain't okay. Sometimes Marlene hears the stuff we talk 'bout - money… debts…"

Zack pinched the bridge of his nose in thought, and closed his eyes, thinking of a possible, proper advice, if not a complete remedy.

"…I jus' don't wanna be a bother, y'know? I'm tired o' that crap. The suckiest thing 'bout it is, I'm workin' hard to help 'em out an' show I can be responsible, but I ain't even given 'nuff credit. The hell, right?" Barret shook his head. "Anyway, my story's lame, so nevermind."

"Um… if you don't mind… may I ask how long this has been going on?" Zack quietly spoke. "Your problem with money…"

"5 months, man. _Five_ months. I work hard to deliver all the damn oil an' to get some, an' I ain't even paid properly or regularly!" Barret shook his head. "^#*%!

… … But all three knew that it wasn't exactly about money. Barret wanted to show that he was responsible for his own actions, especially when it came to his job, Marlene, and debts. But with how he was being paid, how he was being treated… responsibility was something he wanted to bury alive six feet under. Some part of him wished he just worked for Tifa and Cloud instead, or became a mechanic for Rufus' choppers. The main point was, Barret wanted to rely on himself because he didn't want to be a bother despite his friends' show of support and Aerith could see that, and she had seen this situation many times with many people.

After a while of driving, Barret stopped in the Wastelands, and drove up a ramp that led to a plateau. With the cool air of the night, he knew it was a pleasant time to hang around here and relax. "I come 'ere a lot," he said, getting out of the truck. "Sometimes Red even comes 'round 'ere."

The couple got out of the truck as well and watched the horizon. It was a deserted place, the Wastelands, but truth be known it was also a peaceful place despite the barren landscape. Barret near the edge and looked off into the distance, his mind in deep thought.

"… … I'm jus' wantin' to prove that I can do it, Aer," Barret began, and it surprised the Cetra, just when she was about to try and talk him through about his feelings. "Ever since AVALANCHE was gone… things changed."

"Do you think _you've_ changed?" Aerith asked.

He shrugged. "Most days, I think so, tho' it don't feel like it. Y'know, when I look at m'self in the mirror every mornin', I see that I'm still old me, same old Barret with a hot head an' a smokin' machine gun for an arm, still tryin' to make sure life's okay for me an' Mar. An' when I think 'bout it… jus' seems like it's the world around me that changed."

Zack went over to sit next to him; he knew that Barret needed a shoulder right now. Aerith sat on the other side.

"…Whatever happens, remember you're not alone, Barret," Aerith reminded calmly. "You know, Zack and I visited Cid earlier and he was pretty much like you. We saw that he lost that certain 'spark' in him that makes him wanna be aggressive with life and just have fun and enjoy. We don't know if we've done an impact on his life with our visit, but we do hope he's going to be okay…"

"The way I see it, Barret, you've still got that fire in you," Zack noted in a friendly manner, "I don't know what you've been through, but I can see that despite circumstances, you're still trying and pushing to be the best you can be. And you _are_ the best of yourself. I think you're just scared of 'burning' other people because you're already burnt out. Not that you want to burn them of course. You're just concerned, and we see and understand that." He smiled and nodded.

Barret listened as the two apparitions tried to comfort him, and re-assessed his own thoughts. "That's true."

"…And something just crossed my mind. I think people are like nature's elements. Especially friends." Zack leaned back on his palms. "When there's fire, there's water. If you feel tired or you've crashed and burned… your friends are always going to be there for you to comfort you - be the fire to calm you down or relax you when you feel burnt. They can also be the air, they make the fire in you - or _you, _actually - stronger. They're also the earth, they keep you grounded and will support you - they're your hands and your feet. And they can also be fire, they help you fight."

Aerith pondered on her own thoughts on friends - she completely agreed with Zack, but she felt as if she hadn't done much or shown much although she did try when she was alive. And it pained her somewhat, but the best she could do was move on, be the beacon of light in death that she wasn't in life. Aerith smiled as she listened to Zack, and she was also surprised with this revealed side of him.

Zack on the other hand, didn't realize that he was this deep - or at least, that he wasn't this outspoken about what he really thought about things in life. He blinked and processed what he said, hoping it was enough of an encouraging mantra for Barret. Zack understood he didn't know Barret much, but he was hoping too that this was a start of a new friendship, though he honestly didn't want to feel like a bother too.

Zack raised his hands and laughed as he waved, as if warding off something. "Ahhh, I know it's weird coming from a ghost like me, you don't have to listen to me!-"

"Naw, man, the stuff y'said is actually true." Barret shook his head. "…For years I'been tryin'… to convince myself I could do it alone… honestly, I can't."

The simple acknowledgement made the couple smile.

"But it ain't right no more. Everyone else is havin' a hard time as it is. I dun' wanna be anotha' rock in their backpack, y'know?" He sighed. "…But I'll try yer advice." Barret half-smiled. "After all… they've been there for me a long time now."

Aerith giggled softly. "And there goes Barret Wallace. I personally think you should work for Rufus, too. He may be conceited sometimes, but he's a good businessman." She nodded. "He'll pay you well."

Zack smiled. "Case solved!" And with that, he reached behind and asked for a high-five from Aerith, who gladly gave it with joy. "Don't worry, Barret. Things'll be okay. Your friends are gonna be there for you to help you out. They're always ready to lend a hand."

"Yeah…" Barret scratched his head and chuckled. "Thanks, you two. Very much."

"No problem!"

_"Barret?"_

The three turned around and in the darkness, a set of spikes running down a low animal's back could be made out. Aerith's eyes lit up, but Zack scowled in alertness.

The cadet began to panic. He didn't have his sword! "Barret! Run!"

"Wha?" The burly man cackled loudly. "Heeeeell naw! He's m'friend."

Zack blinked as Aerith squealed and Barret continued to laugh; the sight of a wolf and tiger-like animal came into view. Immediately Zack backed away, watching. "…Eh?"

"Nanaki!" Aerith clapped her hands and laughed. "You're here! It's good to see you!"

"Aerith." Red XIII, also known as Nanaki, the gentle but paternal and protective beast of the group, padded to sit right behind the three. "I'm glad you're here." He sniffed the air. "There is another like you."

Aerith and Barret looked up to see Zack, looking very awkward and put off by the sight, and laughed. Zack had his eyes wide yet he was scowling, squatting slightly, with his hands in front of him as if he was going to push a box away.

"…WHOA…" Zack blinked. "…BIG… DOG. TIGER… WOLF?… GAH! Y-You sure he's not going to bite, Aerith?"

The Cetra grinned. "Why don't you try and see?"

"Hm…"

The beast padded around, sniffing calmly; Barret and Aerith let him do so, not giving Zack a warning. Zack didn't know whether to run or try to poof away, but he figured - he was a ghost. And even if this beast wanted to bite him, it wouldn't be able to! He tried to laugh at the realization of it … … but he was still scared. Unfortunately.

Nanaki stopped before Zack and looked up. Zack thought he was angry, but he realized it was just how he really looked like as a beast.

"…Hello."

"…Uhhhh…" Zack blinked and smiled uneasily. "H-Hi there…"

"I won't bite. Don't worry about it." Nanaki sat in front of Zack, still looking up. "I've been named Red XIII by Shin-Ra, but my tribal name is actually Nanaki. And you are?"

Zack realized that if he was still alive and this beast - who was half his size when on all fours - toppled him over and mauled him, he was _definitely_ unlucky. And right now he thanked his stars that he was just a ghost.

"Z..Zack Fair… SOLDIER 1st Class…" The cadet swallowed as he started to relax, feeling calmed by the beast's gentle demeanor. "…YOU… ARE A VERY BIG DOG… ACTUALLY."

"Oh, no. Vincent is much bigger than I am when he turns into Galian." A chuckle rumbled from Nanaki's throat, and he tried to smile with his eyes. "We're quite similar, how we look like, but he's more powerful than I am."

Aerith approached Zack and gave him a comforting embrace, laughing, as he started to relax. "See? That wasn't so bad after all! He didn't bite!" 

Zack let out a deep sigh of relief. "GOOD GRIEF… See, I'm glad I'm not alive right now!"

"Oh, I wouldn't dare hurt anyone. I'd fail Bugenhagen if I did. Monsters, maybe, but never humans." Nanaki sighed.

Barret cackled again and he stood up. "Nice way to introduce yourself, Red."

"You know how humans are. Ghosts or not. They are very wary of those like me. Though… I have to admit, I have been domesticated, somehow." The red beast swayed his tail gently. "What brings you around here, Aerith?"

"Oh! Well. Just traveling around, checking up on all of you," Aerith replied, "but this time I brought Zack with me."

"Oh… I didn't think they had weddings in the Lifestream…"

_The couple stared wide-eyed._

"Wha- N-NO! We didn't get married!~" Aerith tried to wave it off, and Zack flustered. "There aren't any weddings in the Lifestream, you know!" She laughed, her cheeks beginning to flush. Good thing it was evening, she thought!

… … … And as much as Zack tried to hide it by rubbing his nape and clearing his throat, the simple thought of it made him smile.

"Ah, I see." The beast eyed the ethereal couple and got up on all fours. He padded over to stay next to Barret. "I must have been late, however. Were you just about to leave?"

"Mmhm," Aerith nodded. "I think Barret's okay now. Isn't that right, Barret?"

The burly man chuckled and nodded. "Yeah. Thanks, Aer." He looked over to Zack, and smiled. "You too, man. Thanks a lot. What 'chu said woke me up."

Zack smugly grinned. "Glad to be of service, Mr. Wallace."

"Ah, Barret. Reno has just sent word to your company that you will be relieved of your duties there," Nanaki reminded. "Apparently Rufus' orders."

Aerith and Zack's brows raised in glee.

"Rufus wants to hire you, as I've gathered."

"Wha… WHEN? When'd he say? Earlier?" Barret blinked, not believing what Nanaki was saying. "Man… MAN, THIS IS MY NIGHT!#*&!" Barret began to burst into laughter.

Nanaki had no idea why Barret was suddenly so happy, but he smiled, glad that Barret was excited. "Yes, earlier. Around 10 minutes ago. Reno called 7th Heaven," he said. "Hence why I'm here; Tifa asked me to find you. I came here because this is a place you frequently go to alone, as you have told me." Barret nodded at Nanaki's explanation.

Aerith smiled. "Oh… how _is_ Tifa? And the two children?"

"Very much alright, Aerith. Studying and helping Cloud and Tifa run the bar." Nanaki smiled through his eyes once more. "The children visit the church from time to time, but they say it's mostly when you aren't around.

"Zack! We should visit Tifa at 7th!" Aerith giggled. "Oh you'll love her. She's a nice girl!"

Zack chuckled. "And so we shall!"

"Again, thanks both o' ya. I really appreciate it." Barret turned to Aerith. "You gon' be okay? I have'ta go to Rufus with Red."

"Mmhm, we'll be okay." The Cetra gave him one last smile before they got into the van. "You both take care now, okay?"

"It was nice seeing you again, Aerith. And it was nice meeting you, Zack."

"Oh, no problem! Heh-heh. This was an interesting day." Zack nodded.

As the truck began to speed off, the couple looked at each other.

"Are you okay?" Aerith laughed.

"That was SURREAL... you have VERY interesting friends..."

Zack began walking, and as Aerith followed and he started explaining his thoughts on what just happened, he still couldn't believe Nanaki's size and the look of him.


End file.
